The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of barberry that is grown as a dwarf shrub for container or landscape. The new cultivar is known botanically as Berberis thunbergii and will be referred to hereinafter by the cultivar name ‘ORANGE ROCKET’.
‘ORANGE ROCKET’ was selected by the inventor in Litomysl, The Czech Republic in 1994, for unique foliage color. The new cultivar ‘ORANGE ROCKET’ is a hybrid plant that resulted from cross-pollination conducted by the inventor in a cultivated area of Litomysl, The Czech Republic. Cross-pollination was between an individual plant of seed parent Berberis thunbergii ‘Aurea’ (unpatented) and an individual plant of pollen parent Berberis thunbergii ‘Helmond Pillar’ (unpatented).
The new Berberis variety ‘ORANGE ROCKET’ is a deciduous dwarf shrub characterized by rust-colored foliage. This foliage color continues throughout the summer season. The height of the plant is three times its width. The foliage color and plant habit distinguish ‘ORANGE ROCKET’ from all other Berberis known to the inventor.
The new Berberis variety ‘ORANGE ROCKET’ differs from the yellow foliaged female parent plant Berberis thunbergii ‘Aurea’ in that ‘ORANGE ROCKET’ is columnar. The new Berberis variety ‘ORANGE ROCKET’ differs from the purple foliaged male parent plant Berberis thunbergii ‘Helmond Pillar’ in that ‘ORANGE ROCKET’ is rusty orange in color and slightly smaller in size. The closest known varieties of Berberis thunbergii known to the inventor are the two parental cultivars described above.
The first asexual reproduction of ‘ORANGE ROCKET’ was conducted by the inventor in 1995 in a cultivated area of Litomysl, The Czech Republic. The method used for asexual propagation was vegetative cuttings. Since that time the distinguishing characteristics of ‘ORANGE ROCKET’ have been determined stable and have reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual reproduction.